Aria Black and the Prisoner of Azkaban *Re-Write*

Take Care, Dear One

In the morning, we are woken up by the flood of Gryffindors headed to breakfast. Determined to get some more sleep, we move up to the boys' dormitory.

After a good two hours of additional sleep, we finally wake up. I explain the events of last night to my friends. They are initially angry about me not telling them that Remus was a werewolf, but get over it soon.

My ankle hurts like hell. I don't tell my friends about that, they would only worry. So I perform a small healing spell that dulls the pain. It's ineffective for the most part, but it can get me to Remus.

Speaking of Remus, I wonder if he got in last night. Sometimes he wakes up in the morning lying in a random place and sometimes he is just awake when the moon wanes.

I leave my friends and head to Remus's quarters. People are gossiping in the hallway more than usual.

"I guess this explains why he'd been gone so much." One Slytherin student says.

"I can't believe it," says another. "He was our teacher all this year, how could we not have noticed?"

Heather, Fred's one-time date to Hogsmeade approaches me in the halls. "Did you know, Black?"

"Know what?" I murmur, tiredly messing with my hair.

Her eyes widen. "That your godfather is a werewolf. The whole school's talking about it."

"How could she not have known?" Robert Cowell says. "She lived with the man for years!"

I roll my eyes and continue limping on. Someone must've told Remus's secret. Was it Harry, Ron, or Hermione? More people stop and ask stupid questions about Remus. I even yell at a few for being insensitive about werewolves.

When I finally get to Remus's quarters, he is not there. He must be in his office. I groan, and head to his office, where he is listening to classical music, emptying the contents of his desk and packing them away.

"No!" I exclaim, racing over to him, dragging my leg behind me. "Remus, you can't leave! I'll go to Dumbledore, make him listen-"

Remus puts a photograph of the two of us into a box and offers me a soft smile. "Dumbledore did not fire me, I resigned."

"But-but you can't! You're-you're a great teacher, and I need you here! I need you here, Remus!"

He shakes his head softly. "I'm afraid I can't stay, my Ariana. The students' parents-"

I roll my eyes. "Forget about them, Remus! You have a job, you've kept it for a whole year! We've been happy, stable even! Please stay."

"Ariana," Remus says quietly. "even if I could ignore the Howlers from the parents, I cannot ignore the stares. When people find out what I am, they cannot help but look at me another way. I can't bear it, my dear. As much as I'd like to stay with you, I'm afraid I can't."

I force back my tears and sit down on top of his clean desk. "Okay."

Remus moves to stand in front of me. He looks solemn and thoughtful. "Let me take a look at your ankle."

I lift my foot up and he takes it in his hands. Remus wraps a bandage around it with his wand. "I am so, so sorry, Ariana." He says.